HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE

            

A Dutch Barge style NB

DolcieBlue was unable to meet her last scheduled delivery date. Her delay was due to last minute paint induced psoriasis – my lay-boaty term given to her peachy paint blistering and peeling. As she shed, she was still shed – bound and needed to be rubbed and sanded, undercoated and reapplied generously with gloss peach paint that had well mixed in working agent hardener. She is now doubly confirmed for delivery, this Friday July 12^th 2013. So this has given us unexpected time for a cruise.

Della does look out duty

Before we headed out, we had friends, Viv and Pam, visit from NZ. We took them for a short 9 hour return cruise to give them a taste of Canal. In fact it was Della who literally got the taste of Canal. We, girls, had decided to walk a good mile between locks. Nothing like the feel of the tow path track under foot. Della was walking ahead, behind Pam, and Viv and I were having a good catch up of Tauranga Hospital days. Chat stopped when Chris sounded AM’s siren. “Why is he doing that?” I said. As I turned around I commented “Where’s Della?” I walked in the direction of AM, as Chris steered her into the towpath, leapt off  and reached into the canal and pulled out a bedraggled Della lump by her harness. Della had dug her claws into the muddy bank and clung on squealing for attention. Amazing that Chris heard her over the sound of  AM’s engine. She was unperturbed by the incident, gave a few doggy shakes with the idea of removing water in her hair and I attached her to a lead and we continued our walk. I expect it was a ‘chase me’ creature that tempted her to speed undercover back to the floating foliage on the side of the tow path. How she managed to get from A to B passing me unseen is a puzzle! A great day out was had by all.

Leather

Sheepskin

A great perk of living aboard is the thought of moving can become a reality, within seconds. No need to pack but only untie the mooring ropes, thank you good morning. Our 10 day cruise on AM began under cloudy cool skies which within days bloomed into sunny blue skies. There is a buzz on the canal and a steady flow, not a glut, of Narrowboats. Mooring spaces are easily found and often a synchronicity in Lock movement occurs. We sometimes see fellow Mercia Mariners, it is easier if they have a dog as we tend to recognize each other. I say once a Mummy Bitch, always a Mummy Bitch!

  

Alrewas (a corruption of the words Alder Wash) is one of our favourite destinations and takes us about 6 hours and we work 6 locks. It was a cold July day, leaving Mercia, but the Lock gets the blood flowing. Land lubbers ask us if we get cold on AM. No, we don’t. If we get cold we turn on the heating, but we have not been cold enough to do that this month or last month. We are both in receipt of a bothering ‘summer cold’. Chris picked it up from one of his concessionary travel outings, probably, and I caught it off him. But it hasn’t stopped us actively cruising. Alrewas was busy but we found our mooring close to the ‘winding’ hole. A ‘vitamin C’ ale at the Local and a good night’s cough and sleep set us in shape for the 5 locks to Fradley Junction.

Before the 5^th Lock we needed to moor to fill up with water, empty the unmentionables at the Elsan disposal, and dispose of the rubbish. The Tupperware boat, that had been 2 Locks ahead of us, was moored inconsiderately in front of the water tap making no effort to not even do nuffin’! The person left on board greeted us “All rooit”. I responded “Not really”. We managed to squeeze in front of him and then had to pull AM even closer to the 'Plastic' as our hose length is finite. I had to sit holding the hose in position to the water tank as any water movement moved the hose end into the brink. I reported the Tupperware to the C&RT office. Fine to moor but don’t stay in front of the much used water point.

Water tank filled to the brim we worked the next Lock and turned sharp ‘Port’ on to the Coventry Canal (aka Birmingham & Fazely Canal at this point). We were met by a Swing Bridge and the memory of the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant total preparation for whatever resistance we were up against – windlass, BW key, and bum power. None of the aforementioned was needed- easy roll on the swing and we entered the lovely Canal. Picturesque in part but a few random boats that are either unregistered or moored in a permanent looking way take away some of the beauty.

Short sleeves

Wet blanket

The weather became summer on Day 4 and the canal reflected in its tea coloured waters. We are learning to relax rather than race and Della is settling into the laid back lifestyle. We decided the 11 Locks at Atherstone were not to be on our list this journey. We had 2 at Fazeley repeated on our return. Back down the Fradleys and to Alrewas for a couple of nights.

Coventry Canal

Alrewas

Willington calls and all is set for DolcieBlue day on Friday.

And the cow jumped over the moon

WHO GIVES A FLYING COOT

At the end of this week the vision of ‘The DolcieBlue’ is destined to be a reality as she is booked to be trucked from her birthplace in Long Itchington and dropped, I mean lowered, by crane into Mercia Marina. Luckily she is empty of life’s laundry apart from fenders and an engine, and we are very excited that we will finally have DB. She is a ‘Peachy’ coated steel superstructure for Chris to masterfully fit-out as our new home.

We are getting stir-crazy with the wait and the monotony of life on the Marina. Our dream is to live on the ‘Cut’ but the day for that to happen is still an age away. While our life is physically active with dog walks around the Marina and along the towpath we need some life on the ‘outside’. It sounds a bit like we are incarcerated!

Coot Chick

Spontaneity used to be our second name and as a restorative approach we have decided to go for a mini break on the ‘Cut’ next week. We need the freshness of the outside Narrowboat world so we have arranged a small adventure to discover a new but old canal or two. We'll moor DB in her “Design-n-Destiny” berth to await 'Stage 1'.

Plan is for us to stock up on positive vibes and return refreshed, ready for a new start.

GET THE COOT OUT OF HERE!

FINGERS CROSSED

Today was the day and it arrived and is about to be over! We were going to take physical possession of DolcieBlue today. The planning had been dotted and crossed, her shell had been completed and paid for and DB was scheduled to be delivered sometime today. The truck to carry her and the crane to hoist and drop her were booked. Cool bananas. But, alas, the peachy paint job that was brushed on to her was lacking a magic formula and corroded around her shell 48 hours after application. Bugger damn & blast are appropriate words. Chris had visited DB on Monday and all seemed ticketyboo. The following day we found out the plans were thwarted by a lack of additive in the paint. No one to blame, no need to run, it just happened. On a positive note she has been sanded and smoothed and rubbed and cajoled, well I’m getting carried away I don’t think she had been cajoled.

Today, her date of scheduled delivery, we woke early really early aware that she was not going to arrive. Oh, I suppose it was best that there had been a blip as the weather was overcast and there were drops of late April showers. Chris and I decided to go and visit DB, see for our own eyes what had happened and leave the ladder and work mate that we were carrying around in the car in preparation for the next stage of her fit out. Well we need space in the car and we don’t have space on AM and mostly we wanted an excuse to visit DB and check out, in person, what had happened.

It was the first time I had seen DB after her peachy paint job and from a distance I love her colour. The room that holds AM was empty when we arrived. I had been thinking we could revert to the beige colour for DB but when I saw her peachy brightness Chris and I agreed that we should keep her that colour. It is different and glows not in a neon way but a warm way. I am not aware of seeing a colour like hers on the canal and we like to be a little different. Up close I could see why she wasn't fit for delivery. It was like a form of excema. I really felt for Gary and his blokes, it must be a nightmare for them. The guys are getting on with stripping AM of paint. Not my cup of tea working with white spirits, it is a headache in the making for the end of the day. We went and got them a few beers just in case they needed to pander their headaches. 

I’m not going to post a photo as I want to have the impact on the day of her launch, so to speak. So that is it as far as DB. Watch this space…..28 June is now the appointed date for her arrival.

Fingers Crossed.

RAMMER RAMMER NING NONG

The forecast predicted a mild sunny Sunday (May 19^th) and we woke, early, to make the most of the spring day. We travelled at ‘tick-over’ speed to follow the canal for 12 miles and doing a 6 lock work-out to arrive, late afternoon, in Alrewas. The warm sunshine pressed the smile button and the canal was busy with a steady flow of boat life. It is great when boats pass at the lock, it gives a feel of synchronicity over the miles. Our first lock shallow Dallow Lock was busy with 3 boats waiting to go up and no-one coming down. So much for synchronicity! We were in the middle so were taking a slow approach on the helpful side. Matey, in front, was travelling solo and messing around tying his ropes adopting the relaxed single handed approach. The boat tied up behind us was a 20ft ‘Tupperware’ with two aboard. Between us we got the 1^st boat on the move. Matey thanked me and left saying “See you at the next Lock”. Maybe, maybe not I thought.

We let the ‘Tupperware’ pass us a bit further along the canal as they were travelling at a faster pace. When we arrived at the next lock, Matey and the Tupperwares had decided that their combined length could fit the lock together. They managed, just, and closed the gates and took their windlasses the shutters to wind them up and open the sluices. There was a bit of fender pashing but it worked for them and, at the same time, an efficient way to manage the water. And as chance would have it, there was a boat waiting to come down. Sharing the etiquette and effort, by all, makes enjoyable cruising on the canal.

 

The return journey, the following day was a different story but first a few words about our short break in Alrewas. We found a mooring in the Visitors moorings near the Alrewas Lock. It was late afternoon when arrived and there were people wandering along the towpath. It was lovely to see an extended family of possibly 4 generations picnicking on the towpath next to their boat. Della got a whiff of some good food smells but we managed to distract her with a walk in the opposite direction and the delight of freshly mown grass.

We did a circular walk that took us through the church yard and past partially eroded

Grave stones where the weather of at least 3 centuries has taken its toll.

There were daisies and dandelions in abundance and I suppressed the urge to make a daisy chain. I remember, as a child making daisy chains to wear in your hair or around your neck, wrist or even as a ring on your finger! I thought of it more as being a fairy princess than a flower child then. Our walk took us back to the Canal and we chatted with some fellow Mercia Marina Moorers who were off on their six month warmer weather (yeah right!) cruising trips. This time next year we should be on the move in The DolcieBlue.

Next day I woke to the sound of footsteps. It was a quick adjustment to remember we were moored beside the Towpath! Della was happy to step off the boat, on her own, and had a sniff and a pee while we stayed out of sight on AM. Well she thought we were out of sight but I was keeping a crafty eye on her as we are loathe to let her roam on her own. It is reassuring to know that she keeps our location in her radar!

Before we set off, I walked down to the local shops to get some meat, from the best Butcher we have found, and some chutney from a roadside stall. They also had some freshly picked rhubarb and I couldn’t resist that. I miss my rhubarb plant in NZ, it had the chunkiest stems and a great taste. I arrived back at AM and Chris had moved her a couple of boat lengths along to the water point. He was talking to a ‘local’ dog walker who was aghast that I had bought rhubarb as she had loads in her allotment.

“Do you like spinach?” was her next comment.

“Is the Pope Catholic?” I replied.

I rushed on to AM and put my purchases on the bench and took off with Delyse, her dog and Della to the Allotment. We walked through the church yard, and into the large section containing a few thriving Allotments and picked a healthy bag of spinach. No sign of slugs, snails or leaf hoppers that used to torment me on my spinach crop in Tauranga.

We said our farewells, thanks for the spinach, and Della and I made haste back to AM to cast off and get underway before the inevitable rain arrived. The first lock was set for us and an arriving boat below the lock was a good start for the day. I could jump on AM’s roof before she clicked out of the lock. We had 4 more locks to do that day and there was no traffic around. The locks appeared to be set in our favour and my job was to raise the sluices, check for oncoming boats, open the gates and let AM out shutting the gates behind me. One of the locks did not have a direct view of oncoming traffic so I had to walk to where I could get a view. The stretch of canal I could see, at this particular lock, showed no boats in view. The Lock emptied and I let AM out. There is no quick way to close 2 gates, unless you jump off one closed gate to the other side. I did that on the really narrow double gated locks on the Llangollen Canal, but I did not feel confident on the Trent & Mersey Locks. So I have to walk 2 lengths of Lock to get to the ‘last’ gate and close it. I walk to board AM who is waiting for me on the other side of the now closed gates and we move out. Imagine our surprise when we saw a boat approaching us! Show’s you how long this process takes! The oncoming boat was NOT happy that I hadn’t left the Lock ready and he, the Ning Nong skipper moved his tiller into ram mode. Yes he aimed his boat to make a direct hit at us! I was speechless watching his intent and then my words came flooding out as he got into our air waves! Silly old git. I know boating is an unofficial contact sport but to be made an obvious target has no sense. I was miffed that he didn’t make himself known, I’m sure he has a blarey horn to suit his personality. I would have been happy to leave the gates open! In fact this is where C&RT, our Authority, could bring in some commonsense. If you can’t see enough distance ahead from a Lock, then leave the exit gates open. Enough ranting!

We spent the night at Shobnall Fields. It is a lovely space and Della has a good chase of he tennis ball there. We walked a mile or so into the streets of Burton-upon-Trent where Chris had recently discovered The Coopers Tavern http://www.joulesbrewery.co.uk/pubs/pub_details.php?id=6 .

What a cool pub, good ale and friendly people. It was a bit weird going to the Bar which was full of many different cask ales (my older brother would love this) and sedate tables with quiet blokes sitting at them. It was reminiscent, to me, of a blokes gathering on a street corner in a Portuguese Village where the Senors would meet and sit and watch life go by. We sat in the Snug, a Coronation Street moment, and made a wee nest on the bench seat for Della to curl up on. It is a tiring life for a dog being awake on navigation duties throughout the day and then having to walk the streets…….

The following morning we started to pull out to head to the shallow Dallow Lock and simultaneously a boat moored a short distance in front of us powered up and took off in the lead. It was obvious they wanted the lead position. Nothing we could do except know that the hand of human kindness was not going to be extended to them. We moved at slower than ‘tick’ speed and pulled over to the Lock moorings and let them get on with their business. Normally I am out there helping but they were making it obvious that they expected it by fart arsing around. And we were in no rush.

A couple of hours later we were at Willington and then back into the Marina. The wind picked up just as we motored in. It took about 5 attempts to be able to reverse into our home mooring.

 

The DolcieBlue is a little delayed in her readiness for delivery but we are aiming for her shell to be one that we can be proud to float in. All going well we are hoping she will be in our hands in a couple of weeks.

TRANSFORMER

The month of May has arrived and we have spent a week undercover at Shobnall Marina. Undercover means not in dry dock but floating moored out of rain’s reach with a lean-to roof over AM.

Before

The day before we went undercover, we arrived a few hundred metres away at Shobnall Fields, Burton-upon-Trent. We moored, on the 48hour Visitor Moorings, beside the late blooms of more than a thousand daffodils. It was a, without question, Spring day, - warm sun and happy people. The cruise from Willington was seamless. We left Mercia Marina on May 1^st, departed like we were off on a long summer cruise. I had toyed with the idea of going to Stenson Lock for a cuppa tea and ‘winding’ there, when at the same time the engine would be heating the hot water in the calorifier. Sensibly Chris turned Right, rather than Left at the Mercia entrance and we moored just metres away where there is an open space for Della to chase squirrels and we have connectivity with our phones. No hot water though! And we could lift our ‘Stern’ box onto dry ground so Chris could paint it. While we were there I was able to motivate myself to finish the paua mosaic window sill that I started nearly a year ago.

AM had never lost the aroma of diesel even though the fuel tank was repaired last year. Chris lifted the floor over the ‘Bilge’ (i.e. where the engine is located) and noted that the area was covered in shallow water with a film of diesel floating over it. The motor hadn’t been started for some time as we have been static in the Marina, and the rain has been less than in former months. So here we are on the move, again, and the injectors are spitting diesel. The bilge had to be emptied and there were two possibilities for disposal and only one choice. Chris chose the clean way using a plastic hand pump thingy (I’m a bottle blonde, now, I don’t retain the words like I did when my colour was natural mousey brown) and he quickly filled a large bucket with the cocktail of water and diesel. As chance would have it he found the perfect receptacle for disposal, on his Della circuit the next day, in the Marina rubbish area. One Man’s junk is another Man’s treasure…..(kind of…).

It’s been lovely to be back on the Cut with different sounds, smells and smiles. After two nights close to Mercia we set off, early morning, at ‘tick’ speed to Burton. Breakfast was at Willington Sanitary Station because we could and we needed to make use of the facilities. It was a slow trip with Chris and Della at the helm, while I set to with necessary tasks to do on my laptop.

Just before entering the outer ‘burbs of Burton we go through our first lock shallow ‘Dallow’ lock. I call it shallow cos it’s not deep. We are now in Narrowboat area. Not fit for Widebeams, here, but 70 ft Narrowboats are accommodated. About 200m further along we get to grassy Shobnall Park. We see NB Global Spirit, from our Pier at Mercia, and moor just in front of her. Global Spirit (Maisie) has just begun her 5-6 month cruise. Della has suddenly come alive with the bounty of park life, and apart from her being drawn to anything human, she is overwhelmed with her memory of having the tennis ball thrown. She loves the chase and barely gives me a chance to step off AM before she is trying to bite my ankles and bark, yes BARK for the ball! We managed to run her off her feet that evening.

Next day, Shobnall Marina was our destination. Another 300 metres away so we thought we’d breakfast before we chugged along. As we started moving along, the rain started and persisted with force! The case of ‘If’ we had waited for breakfast we wouldn’t have got wet. I didn’t get wet but Chris did!! There is a sharp turn at the ‘Winding’ spot outside the Marina entrance which took us under a narrow towpath bridge. The Marina has prevented unauthorized entry by having a footbridge under the bridge that has to be raised by someone in the know! We stayed under the bridge and waited for a boat, on our booked undercover space to move. During the wait Chris was able to retrieve our boat-on-wheels, which he had parked down the road and round the corner, and park it at the Marina.

As soon as he arrived back at AM we were given the all clear to move to our mooring under cover! Sheer luxury and the sun was shining again. We got started straight away with getting plugged in to the electric and our sanding tools were shimming over the Port cabin side. (Port means Left, Port and Left have 4 letters!). A few hours later we had the first coat of satin Grey done. Chris, deftly, used the mini hand roller and I followed using a ‘dry’ paint brush in a rapid horizontal then vertical brush stroke manner. Writing it makes it sound easy but Chris had been slowly and surely working, over the last 10 weeks, towards prepping the sides to make this work stint go smoothly. The next day, the paint had dried, and we gave AM port-side, the second coat and turned her around to repeat the process on the starboard side. Shobnall Marina is compact compared to Mercia, and to turn around with minimal effort takes good planning and instruction. My job was to stay on shore and hold the Bow rope tight while Chris reversed the Stern out and I did a hand held pivot! Flat bottom boat smooth water glider!!

In the midst of painting, we had the Mechanic give AM a service. He did a great job and as a result we have a healthy sounding engine and the diesel smell is a distant memory. The contaminated receptacle was sent to the place where it should go.

Yesterday, our time was up at Shobnall and we left and returned to Shobnall Fields. We thought we might moor up for a few days, there, but the weather is inclement so we have returned to Mercia Marina.

Now Chris is finalising the completion of DolcieBlue and fingers crossed we will get the boat shell of our dreams. All I can say is watch this s    p    a     c     e!!!!!!!!!

SPRING ain't SPRUNG

 

Blue and Dolci sunbathing on our terrace in Portugal

We continue to live aboard Avalon Mist at Mercia Marina having been moored, continuously, here for the past 5 going on 6 months. The Marina was busy over the winter but now there are many available moorings as people move back on the ‘Cut’. I think after last year’s wettest drought, boaters are giving up on the thought of a Spring season coming anywhere close to Spring as we know it but are not letting that deter them cruising.

An interesting thought, for us, is that by next winter, if not before, we will be living aboard DolcieBlue (DB) and she will be fit for a cold winter without having to buy electricity!!. We went to visit her a couple of days ago. Our road trip went very smoothly and we followed Sat Nav directions all the way with no thoughts that ‘She’ doesn’t know where we are or ‘She’ has got it wrong again. I used to be a great navigator and I could get us, by road, through France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands and Germany with little difficulty. We used to have a great road map book (Bartholomew’s) for Spain and Portugal. We could find our way whatever type of road. I first used Sat Nav on a road trip in California and I was hooked. Now the print on paper maps is too small for me to read without my reading glasses, I am   a Sat Nav fan.

Back to our steel boat in the workshop at Long Itchington. We had been expecting DB to be an ivory beige colour and the portholes and houdinis fitted but due to the painter being sick, DB was a gleaming structure in polished steel ‘sitting’ on the floor. I ran my hand along her body (sounds saucy) it was cold and dirty but smooth. We climbed the ladder to climb onto her cruiser stern and carefully stepped into the Wheel House avoiding the gaping hole on the stern floor where the engine will lie.

Awaiting the engine

It is a long view down the roof length of the boat and clutching an imaginary wheel in the Wheel House didn’t make the length look any shorter! I’m hoping the view on the ‘Cut’ will put the length into perspective. At this point I don’t see myself as the new Tiller / Wheel Queen!

View from Wheel House to Bow!

I left Chris and Gary talking important build stuff that involves ‘measure twice cut once’ and I stepped inside the cabin. It is exciting; it is huge and hard to imagine it all getting ship shape! Its colour, for now, remains black and light. That is the light shining in through the port holes, houdinis and side hatch openings. Sounds like the build up for a circus performance.

Empty

Chris & Gary

I walked do the Bow-end, taking care not to trip over the metal strips that are at floor height once the ballast is loaded. Oh I’m getting so nautical in my vocabulary these days. Our bedroom will be down the Bow-end and the ‘bow thruster’ will be placed in the ventilated steel cupboard in front of the head of our bed. We have a porthole above our bed and as well as a view we can see the location of the big water tank and handy storage that is the Bow. The Bow will not be a sitting area and not cratch covered. We figure that we will have enough outdoor space on the cruiser stern as well as the joy of  the Wheel House that can be kept covered when we are moored.

Looking to Stern

Even looking along the indoor length back to the Stern, the finished layout takes some imagination. A CAD drawing would be useful. Chris has done a floor plan and that is all we need but 2D would be good. I feel an IKEA visit fast approaching! A big job awaits and it will be exciting as Chris / we get underway. We’ve done big projects before. My mother notably said we build in an organic way.

Meanwhile we get prepared to receive DB as a Sail-away. I’ve phoned C&RT, (Canals & Rivers Trust) to confirm what paperwork we need to get done as DB will not be ready for a Safety Certificate but we need to register her. All good. They are used to this sort of thing and the paperwork from Colecraft  and boat insurance will be enough to get her registered. Wow the registration will be close to a grand for the year!

Back on the road from Colecraft. We do not need Sat Nav for this bit. We take the country (B) road route, it is a relaxing way to go back and we have found the pub to stop at in Silsden. It is called the Cock Inn and is of the olde worlde build. Thatched roof and lime washed, and indoors many of the crucial oak beams are ill positioned for anyone above tall hobbit height.

Then we Sat Nav it to a National Park area, south east of Burton-upon-Trent where Chris has discovered a comfortable dog friendly circular walk. Della is hop, skipping and running with the smells that attract her. She is always busy on her walks but has her ear tuned in to our commands which may mean a treat for her. There are friendly people walking their dogs, oh, and their children!

And back we went to AM. Chris has been busy undercoating AM in preparation for our undercover slot at Shobnall Marina in early May. We’ve booked a week to tart her up. We had booked for the first week in April but the weather was too cold to keep the paint brush thawed, let alone dry the paint. So the weather is slowly getting closer to warming up although I wouldn’t say we are in Spring. In fairness the drizzle is not falling as snow flurries. In fact, there has been very little rain, a lot of breezy cold wintry winds. If and when we see the sun there is warmth but the outdoor ‘air con’ effect is not right.

That’s enough weather report. On a parting note, I have a friend (well I have more than one) but this one was asking me if Narrowboats can be constructed from aluminum. I put this question to Gary the boatbuilder. I started with has he ever built a boat from aluminum and he said yes he has. I said oh really! He said that it was very expensive material, compared to steel, and not strong enough for the contact nature of cruising a Narrowboat. There you go Rob. Keep those planes flying, the skies are wider than the Canals!

THE ADVENT OF MV DOLCIEBLUE

This Blog is written in the memory of my Dad, Robert Shelley Abbott QSM  1930 – 2013

Here’s to you Dad. May your memory live as a treasure forever.

I am sat on A.M., next to Della and wearing my Dad’s beautiful warm cardigan and getting my thoughts around ‘DolcieBlue’. DB is to be our new mobile home as we live our foreseeable future as ‘water gypsies’. Chris is cooking up a tasty mushroom omelette and the mushroom smell is wafting. Yum, I’m starting to feel hungry……….

The birth of a flat bottom boat

Today we visited Colecraft Boat Builders where DB is under construction. She is getting closer to being in Chris’s hands for the ‘Fit-Out’. DB will leave Colecraft as a ‘sail away’ which means the engine will be operable and all the necessary steel work is done.

The DB ‘build’ started as a 10mm(d)steel plate to cover 68ft, the overall length of her hull. I had only imagined what that must look like, as I had missed her start. In the noisy workshop there was a new boat in the early days of its build so I took a photo. DB’s cabin walls are 8mm (d) and the roof is 6mm (d). {“Safe as houses” as the saying goes}

DolcieBue, alongside, had the whole workforce working on her. Outside was being sanded into a smooth surface ready for painting next week. The portholes were now obvious round holes (as you would expect) and the side hatches were hinged. Indoors, more sanding was being done. I had hoped to step aboard but there were sparks everywhere. I poked the camera through the porthole and took a shakey photo. Nothing inviting about that shot! The rudder is attached, the fuel tank in situ, and the Wheel House looking good.

Indoors

Early next week, DB will be painted with 3 coats of paint and moved to outdoors to the boat waiting yard where the fine tuning will be done with the engine. Then she will have her first ride on the back of a truck and a lift into the plonk via crane. Watch this space!

We will be living on AM until DB is fitted out. No pressure!! There are a few jobs to do on AM and I will endeavour to get them done with humour!!

We can’t stop talking about DB and are thrilled at how she looked today. AM has been a great starter to this lifestyle of freedom in a confined living space.  H

And so starts the story of DB. 

Did I mention the weather..........?